18
Sept
Harrogate hospital trust appoints new chief people officer
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The trust which operates Harrogate District Hospital has appointed a new chief people officer.
Chris Mannion has joined Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, where he will sit on the trust’s executive team.
Mr Mannion, who previously worked at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, will be tasked with ensuring the organisation can attract, retain and develop a highly skilled and motivated workforce.
He joins the trust after Angela Wilkinson retired in May 2026 after almost eight years as HDFT's director of people and culture.
Mr Mannion said:
I am thrilled to join Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, which has such a strong reputation for delivering high-quality care and putting people at the centre of its success.
What attracted me to HDFT was its clear commitment to its values and to creating an environment where staff feel supported and are able to deliver exceptional care and experiences for patients.
Mr Mannion started his NHS career on the NHS graduate management training scheme in 2007, where he built extensive experience across workforce, organisational development, leadership and transformation.
Throughout his career, he has championed positive workplace cultures and employee engagement, helping organisations deliver improvements for both colleagues and patients.
In recognition of his contribution to NHS people leadership, Mr Mannion was named deputy people leader of the year at the Healthcare People Management Association (HPMA) Awards in 2024.
He holds a BSc in Psychology and an MA in Human Resource Management and is a chartered fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). He has also completed the NHS Leadership Academy's prestigious Nye Bevan programme in executive healthcare leadership and is an ACAS-trained workplace mediator.
Jonathan Coulter, chief executive of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said:
I am delighted to welcome Chris to HDFT. He joins us with a wealth of NHS experience and an impressive track record of leading workforce and organisational development initiatives that have made a real difference for colleagues and patients.
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